Captain's Focus

The dolphin lead was only at 15 pounds the first day, but Speculator brought in a 23-pounder -- the same as the dolphin that won the White Marlin Open on the last day. Nine blue marlin have been boated so far, but the 400-pound minimum has proven to be too big a hurdle in the first two days.

The eclipse of the sun didn't bother the fish, and Taylor Jean from Brielle made the most of it as Jay Monteverde boated a 72-pound white marlin to take the lead for over 2 million before Jamie Diller of Stone Harbor brought in a second place white on Canyon Lady that was exactly at the contest's 65-pound minimum. The first day totals were 133 whites (8 boated) 8 blue marlin (two weighed, but under the 400-pound contest minimum) 20 tuna 14 dolphin and the one wahoo.

On the morning trip we started out fishing in Sandy Hook Bay where we picked some shorts and caught a few keepers. On the afternoon trip we fished in Raritan Bay where we caught some keepers but not much action with the shorts.

OUR AFTERNOON TRIPS SAIL DAILY FOR FLUKE AND SEA BASS FROM 4 30 P. M. 8 30 P. M. JOIN US AS WE BOTTOM FISH AND MAMMAL WATCH AND THEN CATCH THE MOST STUNNING SUNSET THAT WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. The Miss Belmar Princess is the largest, fastest and cleanest fishing boat in Belmar.